The Australian skipper has delivered superb consecutive hundreds to lead her squad into the last four of the Women's Cricket World Cup, driving them to a dominant 10-wicket trouncing over Bangladesh.
The wicketkeeper-batter finished unbeaten on 113, arriving just a few days after her similarly brilliant 142 that saw off the Indian team at the same Vizag venue. This time, she shared an undefeated 200-run opening partnership with her opening partner (84 not out) to dash to their target of 199 in just under 25 deliveries.
“I thought I was a not at my best behind the stumps, and probably a bit as skipper as well today, but we’ll take the win and progress,” Healy remarked.
Ironically, the supreme expertise of the day's chase as the duo added 202 came after perhaps Australia’s poorest display in the field under Healy’s stewardship, with the skipper criticizing herself in particular for spilling two of the half-dozen chances that were missed.
“I was a little bit disappointed with my glovework, and I had a little bit to make up for with the bat, and fortunately delivered,” Healy continued.
From the time data was initially taken on fielding metrics in the year 2013, the half-dozen dropped opportunities represented the team's worst fielding display at a World Cup tournament.
“Perhaps it’s just that time of the competition – we’ve been here a while, and it’s something we’ll reflect on,” the captain commented.
It helped Bangladesh to manage 198 for 9 after they had opted to bat, their highest total in an ODI against Australia, with a key batter compiling the maiden fifty ever for the Bangladeshi team against the reigning champions.
But the spinner's spellbinding unbroken 10-over spell, in which she took 2-18 with four maiden overs, was vital to ensuring Australia’s target wasn’t too challenging.
Healy Pleased with Win that Seals Knockout Spot
Healy was delighted to discover that the triumph, which places her unbeaten team top of the group table on nine points after four victories and a abandoned match, guarantees them a berth in the last-four. “That's great news,” she said.
The 35-year-old skipper sped to her hundred off just 73 deliveries, the fastest hundred of the tournament, and ended with 20 fours off the 77 balls she faced as she accelerated from her partner later in the knock after they had gone almost shot for shot towards their half-centuries.
The Opener Shines with Maiden World Cup Half-Century
The young batter Phoebe Litchfield struck 12 boundaries and a six, reaching to her first tournament fifty off 46 balls shortly after her partner got there off 43 balls. They went on to achieve the third-highest stand by any Australian pair at a World Cup event.
In the first innings, during the subpar fielding display, Healy spilled the simplest of chances off a teammate and also failed to grasp a tough skied one off another bowler. Frustratingly, she also did take a clear catch off the same bowler but failed to review when the umpire rejected their appeal.
The reinstated Brown sent down the fastest balls at the tournament so far but was nonetheless the team's most expensive bowler, going for 0-52 off her nine overs.
Spinners Excel as Alana King Leads
Instead, the slow bowlers thrived, spearheaded by King, whose spell could have been even more productive if Beth Mooney hadn’t dropped one in the slip cordon.
Fellow spin bowlers Georgia Wareham (two for 22 off seven overs) and Gardner (2-48 off nine) both contributed, while Sutherland consolidated her position as the competition's leading wicket-taker with her 2-41, taking her total to thirteen.
Rubya Haider’s 44 runs and another's unbeaten 66 runs off 80 balls took the team to their record score against the Aussies, but the total was rendered easy meat by a side who had successfully pursued 330 runs against India a few days before.
“It’s always nice when you’ve got the ‘Q’ beside your name in a World Cup,” remarked star performer King. “Certainly it won't end here. We anticipate returning to Indore to take on the English team and the Proteas.”
